ANSI conducts training for accreditation program.
Press Release Summary:
ANSI Certificate Accreditation Program Committee held 3-day training program for organizations that issue education/training certificates to U.S. workers. Attendees studied ASTM E2659-09 and ISO/IEC 17011 and reviewed various materials, discussed case studies, and conducted sample assessments. Training/certification/accreditation leaders from 13 organizations will serve as assessors and committee members for ANSI-CAP program, which will be evaluated at follow-up meeting in January 2010.
Original Press Release:
ANSI Certificate Accreditation Program Committee Meets with Assessors and Participants to Lay Groundwork for Pilot National Accreditation Program
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) conducted a three-day training program last week in Washington DC for national leaders in training, certificate programs, and accreditation. These individuals will serve as program assessors and Accreditation Committee members for ANSI-CAP, the Institute's new Certificate Accreditation Program for organizations that issue education and training certificates to U.S. workers.
ANSI president and CEO S. Joe Bhatia welcomed the participants to the training session, stating that they "have been carefully selected after a nationwide search, bringing a high level of expertise, diversity, and experience to the program." He further told attendees that ANSI-CAP is "the first effort of this kind in our country as we seek to rebuild our workforce with quality training and education."
During the three-day meeting, assessors and the ANSI-CAP Committee members studied the American National Standard ASTM E2659-09, Standard Practice for Certificate Programs, and the International Standard ISO/IEC 17011, General Requirements for Accreditation Bodies Accrediting Conformity Assessment Bodies. These documents will serve as the basis for the accreditation requirements and processes used in the program.
Additionally, attendees reviewed application forms, guidance documents, and other materials, discussed case studies, participated in role playing exercises, and conducted sample assessments to assure accuracy and consistency in how these standards are to be interpreted and applied.
ANSI senior director of personnel credentialing accreditation programs Roy Swift, Ph.D noted that this training is only the prelude to the mandatory annual training for each assessor and Accreditation Committee member. This requirement will assure that accreditation reviews and decisions remain consistently fair and calibrated and that all individuals working in the program remain current.
After concluding the training for assessors and committee members, program faculty conducted a three-hour webinar for the thirteen organizations that have been accepted to participate in the pilot program. These organizations represent a diverse mix of certificate programs across a broad array of industries.
"ANSI is pleased to offer this training as we launch this unique pilot program," said Dr. Swift. "ANSI-CAP will offer much more than just an accreditation decision. With such requirements as on-site visits by highly qualified assessors and a five-year reassessment cycle, it will provide certificate-issuing bodies with opportunities for continual quality improvement."
ANSI-CAP assessors will work with the organizations selected for the pilot are expected to complete their site visits to pilot participants by end of year, with the first round of accreditations decisions to be issued in early 2010. ANSI will host a follow-up meeting in January 2010 so that applicants and assessors can share their experiences with the pilot program. This feedback will assist the ANSI-CAP Accreditation Committee in evaluating the program and suggesting potential improvements.
